Walden Magic Model by GSI

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Ignore the chubby superhero and focus on the board...

One thing that’s pretty clear to me is the only way to get good at surfing is to spend lots of time in the water. The other thing that’s pretty clear to me is that my swimming fitness is awful which means I can only put in a couple hours of surfing practice before I’m beat. So I need to go to the waves often for shortish sessions. This logic found me at the Coastline Surf Shop in Victoria, BC browsing their board selection and realizing I had no idea what I was looking for. One of the helpful staff, Dan, showed me a couple longboards including this 9′ 2″ Walden Magic Model made by GSI. I went home and did some research and it seemed like everyone loved their Magic Model. It didn’t hurt that the same design had been successful for nearly 30 years.

As a beginner I won’t bother trying to review this board. I couldn’t do it justice so I’ll let the designer speak for himself in the video above. What I can say to any other new surfers out there is that this board is easy to paddle, catches waves nicely and is plenty stable when you stand up. Based on what I’ve read it should offer lots of performance as your skills grow. So you’ll be stoked with it in 5 years.

GSI Magic Model Brochure - click to DL'd...

GSI marketing spew:

“The unbelievable Magic Model was developed nearly thirty years ago and remains one of the most widely distributed and popular Longboards ever designed. When Steve designed he first board in 1981 it was deemed “Magic” by everyone that tried it and the legacy began. From a distance the board looks fairly conventional but as soon as you grab the rail, you know this is not a conventional board! From the nose the rail is tucked and blends into a rail chine all the way back to a hard release off the tail. The concave on the bottom is set from single, to double combined with a generous vee that you can feel when you initiate a turn on these boards. These features are blended to create an acceleration and release that feels like no other design. And the Magic Model accelerates with only the slightest pump. Remarkably stable, anyone can ride the Magic Model, from beginners in knee high dribblers to professional contestants in heavy conditions (and they do). One of the design features that allow this amazing versatility is the moderate template combined with a highly defined tucked rail chine. The board is stable, yet when you get on it, whether you are pumping down the line or jamming a cutback, the board will instantly respond. You’ve got to love it! Did we mention that it noserides incredibly? It’s a one board quiver that does EVERYTHING well!”